Mickey Trosclair hadn’t raced at Columbus Speedway in nearly seven years. The Factory Stock car he entered there Saturday night was bought three months ago for his 12-year-old son.
Trosclair, who races Late Models for a living, came to Columbus for the Factory Stock-Pure Stock Nationals hoping to recoup some of the money he’d spent on the car. Trosclair did just that Saturday by earning $3,000 in a dominant win in the Factory Stock-Pure Stock Nationals.
Trosclair took the lead on lap five after narrowly avoiding a first-lap pileup that knocked Jason Byrd out of the race and sent Cody Chism briefly to the pits.
Trosclair led the rest of the way for his highest payday in a Factory Stocks race.
“The track was tricky tonight, pretty much like the last time I was here,” Trosclair said. “We didn’t hot lap tonight. We wanted to save equipment for the money race. We made the right choice on tires and setup wise. It was our night.”
Passing proved difficult, as the track held moisture and didn’t take rubber. But the track was slick and never developed a cushion.
Ten of the 20 cars that started didn’t finish the race, including Byrd and Scooter Ware.
“It’s pretty tough,” Trosclair said. “You got three and four wheel brakes, and you can put in more rear or front brake in it. But most of the time, when you pull out there and it’s a big race, 40 or 50 laps, you pretty much got to work with what you got.”
Trosclair faced his toughest challenge from Johnny Pannell, who pulled even with him down the backstretch for five laps before breaking down on lap 20.
“I kind of slowed down about 15 laps in, pacing myself and not going too fast,” Trosclair said. “I seen the 18 (Pannell) stick his nose underneath me, and I knew I had to push harder. I just tried to keep it straight.
“I tried to be smooth and consistent, hit my marks, and try not to burn the right rear tire off the car. I had to keep the car straight. That was the main thing.”
Jeff Phillips finished second, while Chase Pennington, Jamie Nolen, and Chism rounded out the top five.
Drivers from four states competed in what track promoter Rod Taylor hopes will become the region’s premier race for Factory Stocks. Oklahoma native Scott Garrett Donnell has been racing Factory Stocks for two years. He said Columbus was the sixth track on which he has raced. He finished eighth.
“We normally race on a much dryer track … the clay is a fun surface, but it’s a constantly changing thing, and it did tonight,” Donnell said. “I can’t complain. Track was a blast. I’m definitely coming back if they have this event again.”
In other action, Jimmy Nolan won the Street Stocks feature. JR Brown, Matt Byram, Bryan Fortner, and Chris Hopper rounded out the top five.
Tony Shelton won the 602 Sportsman feature. Morgan Lambert, Jimmy Anderson, Jeremy Greenway, and Michael Dickinson rounded out the top five.
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